Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing. If I did, Heero wouldn't have left Relena in the first place.

Freetalk: Hello, this is my very first Gundam Wing fic. Please be gentle. Anyway, this will be set in AU. I'll try not to be too OOC. I hope you'll like it. The GW characters don't make an appearance yet, but they will be mentioned. This is, by the way, a 1xR fanfiction.

Dedicated to my dear, dear friend…Deedee-niisan.

The Shrine Maiden

Prologue: Shelter From The Storm

It all began, as most stories of love and tragedy did, in a dark and stormy summer night.

Sudden freak storms were not unusual in the kingdom, especially during the dry and humid summer. Wind and water would fiercely dance together, a wild and violent dance that would make the skies tremble with its passionate intensity. Rain would pour down to the earth like the tears of innumerable sky maidens while thunder and lightning would rage at the sky with the fury of a woman scorned.

Amidst this fearsome act of nature, a lone man was hurrying to get home, a blacksmith that closed his shop later than usual. He was already wet and shivering from the cold, soaked to the very bone. He needed to find shelter, fast. He looked around, trying to find shelter, but the night was as dark as pitch. It was impossible to see anything at all.

Lightning flashed across the sky, and for a moment, it illuminated the man's surroundings. To his intense joy, there on top of a small hill was a huge shrine.

The Shrine of the Blue Dragon, it was called. It was the home of the Blue Dragon General Heero and his Maiden, the Lady Alina. The Maiden was a sweet gentle lady that had charmed the whole kingdom with her beauty and kindness. She was also the Blue Dragon General's lover.

The man quickly headed for the shrine, using his memory rather than his sight to guide him there. The Blue Dragon General was with the rest of the Four Generals of the kingdom–Red Phoenix General Duo, White Tiger General Wufei and Green Tortoise General Quatre, doing a routine inspection of troops in the kingdom. The Maiden was all alone in the shrine.

Not that he was thinking of exploiting the situation. Anyone caught harming a Maiden of the Kingdom in any way will be punished by the most cruel and barbarous death.

The Blue Dragon Maiden was kind. Surely, she would allow him to stay for the night. The General might mind, but he wouldn't be that angry.

There was another flash of light, and the man found himself in front of the shrine. He hurried towards the door and knocked gently.

No answer. He knocked again, louder this time.

Still no one answer. He was about to knock again when he noticed that the door was slightly ajar. Curious, he slowly opened the door.

He was greeted by an icy wind that made him shiver once again and a darkness like he had never seen before. The shrine was eerily quiet. He stepped inside, feeling his way. As he moved about, something icy cold touched his forehead. He stopped, and felt the spot above his forehead. He touched something smooth, but cold and hard. He instinctively looked up.

Then, once again lightning flashed, illuminating the room.

The man screamed out in terror, then scrambled out the door. He slammed into it, but he didn't seem to mind. He continued to run and run and run….

Lightning flashed across the sky…revealing the Dragon Maiden hanging from the shrine's ceiling, a rope around her delicate neck. Her light brown her covered her face and her light blue robes hung loosely on her, especially on her swollen belly.

The Blue Dragon Maiden was pregnant, and she was dead.

~T.B.C.~

Freetalk: How did you like the beginning? I hope it's enough to make you wait for the next chapter.

I know, I know. Looks suspiciously like Fushigi Yuugi, but if you read it, you'll discover they are not that alike at all. As for why Heero is the Dragon general…well, I have a thing for dragons, you see.

Next chapter: A more detailed explanation how the Maiden-General-thing works…GW characters will finally make an appearance, and a new Dragon Maiden is to be chosen. Can you guess who will it be?